Demon of Root
by gameischarizhard
Summary: What if Naruto was taken in by Danzo and entered ROOT the night of the Kyuubi attack? What will happen when he is given the mission to protect the Hyuga Heiress and the Last Uchiha? Watch as Naruto Uzumaki struggles to find his place in the ninja world. Pairings undecided, but there will definitely be one in the near future. Rated M for potential violence
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

I do not own Naruto! Characters in this fanfic are purely fictional and any similarities with people in real life are purely coincidental.

Hey guys, this is my first fanfiction on . I know that this have been done quite a few times, but none of the ones I've seen so far have been developed fully. I'll try to do my best with this fanfiction. No pairings as of yet, but I plan to add one in the future. Leave me a review and tell me what you think of my story. Feel free to tell me what I did wrong so that I can improve the future chapter. Cheers!

**Chapter 1: Prologue**

With a bright flash, the Fox was gone. His Yin chakra sealed into the belly of the Shinigami, while his Yang chakra was left within a small blonde whiskered baby, entrusted by his father to jail the most powerful of the tailed beast. Yondaime himself was sealed away into the Shinigami, a cost of using the forbidden sealing jutsu _**Shiki Fuin**_**. **His wife, Kushina Uzumaki, had lost her live defending Konaha against the Kyuubi, leaving the new Jinchuuriki an orphan.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Sandaime Hokage, stood in his study, holding Yondaime's legacy in his hands. He gazed at the devastated Konaha, mindful as ninja and civilians alike scurried around the ruins. The baby slept soundly in his arms, blissfully unaware of the fate that was about to befall him. Sarutobi spared a glance at the clock, giving an audible sigh. It was time for the council meeting.

Council Chambers

Sarutobi strode purposefully into the council chambers. It was a scene of absolute chaos, the civilian council was calling for the baby's death. The ninja council bickered among themselves. Most of the clan heads wanted to honor Yondaime's wishes, hailing the blue-eyed boy as a saviour. However, Fugaku Uchiha and a few of the representatives of the minor clans were resentful of him, demanding his immediate execution. The elder council stood silently at their end of the chambers. Sarutobi was immediately wary of the glint in Danzo's eye. He knew his rival well enough to know that Danzo was up to something. Sarutobi could only hope that he would be able to put a stop to Danzo's plans.

"Silence!" The Lord Hokage boomed. It was a testament to his authority that the council chambers immediately fell silent. The ninja council looked to their leader expectantly, while the civilian councilors stared at the baby in his arms with barely veiled disgust.

Then, one of the civilian councilors worked up the courage to speak. "Hokage-Sama," Ishida Yusuke shouted, "kill the demon brat. He is a danger to us all!"

Sarutobi narrowed his eyes at the brazen man. Only years of experience as a shinobi prevented him from taking out a kunai and throwing it at the fool. "This child is no demon," Sarutobi spoke calmly, "The Kyuubi is contained within him, but he and it are two separate entities. I will not have an innocent child killed because of your own foolishness and paranoia."

He held up Naruto, stating, "Look! Does this look like a demon to you?" Young Uzumaki gurgled in his sleep, oblivious to the debate raging around him. "How is he any different from the hundreds of children around the village. Where is the Kyuubi's menacing chakra? Where are its hatred-filled eyes?"

Mebumi Daichi, another councilor, spoke up, "It might be a trick of the Kyuubi. Trying to lull us into a false sense of security before striking." The civilian council muttered among themselves, obviously in agreement.

Sarutobi frowned at their ignorance, wondering not for the first time why the Nidaime Hokage agreed to set up the civilian council in the first place. Before he could say anything, Inoichi Yamanaka spoke for the first time that night, "Yondaime Hokage was a seal master beyond anyone in Konoha. He himself designed the seal that holds the Kyuubi at bay. Have you no faith in our late Hokage?"

Fugaku Uchiha spoke up, "Of course we believe in the Yondaime's work. However, this boy contains the Kyuubi and he is a danger to. If we kill him, the Kyuubi will be gone forever."

Seeing an opportunity, Danzo spoke, "This bot should join my ROOT and be trained under me. I will ensure that he is no threat to anyone in Konoha. With the power of the Kyuubi, Konoha will rise to be the strongest of the hidden villages. "

"Absolutely not!" Sarutobi exclaimed, "I will no have him become an emotionless puppet under you. Furthermore, your ROOT was supposed to be disbanded years ago!"

Danzo smirked. "We are currently in a state of emergency. The Konoha Charter states that all available resources should be reactivated to defend and aid Konoha. This includes my ROOT."

Sarutobi sighed. He knew Danzo was right, but that didn't mean he had to like it though. "Nevertheless, you will not have Naruto. He will grow up with a normal childhood, not trained as a weapon. I am the Hokage and I make the final decisions in this village."

Danzo smirked yet again. "That would be true in a normal situation. However, we are in a state of emergency. The council will have the ability to override the Hokage as long as we have a 70% majority."

Sarutobi growled. How did Danzo outwit him, the God of Shinobi, twice in a row? Reluctantly he called for the vote. "I can only hope that the people will make the right decision."

Unsurprisingly, the civilian council all voted in favour for Danzo's plan. They saw a way to keep the Kyuubi under control as well as increase the risk of him dying on a mission.

Next, the elder council voted. They too voted in agreement with Danzo's plan. Lastly, the ninja council voted. "It would be too troublesome. I vote no," Shikaku Nara spoke.

"It would be illogical for a child to be trained at such a young age. I vote no too," Shibi Aburame voted.

"I vote yes. We should use every resource we can get," Fugaku Uchiha said.

"No. The Inuzuka will not betray Yondaime's memory and dishonor his last wishes," a feral looking woman, Tsume Inuzuka said.

"The Kurama clan votes no," the Kurama clan head stated.

Inoichi Yamanaka and Chouza Akimichi both voted no.

Right now, the vote was 68% to 32% for Danzo's plan. Hyuga Hiashi's vote would decide the fate on Naruto Uzumaki. Hyuuga Hiashi was silent, silently pondering his choices. Everyone in the room was looking expectantly at him, waiting for his answer. After about a minute, he took a deep breathe. "I'm sorry Minato. This is for the good of Konaha". "The Hyuuga Clan votes yes," Hiashi said regretfully.

The council chambers immediately erupted. The civilian councilors cheered in unconcealed glee, while most of the ninja council sat in stunned silence. Sarutobi had to raise his voice for the second time that night. "Silence!" The room immediately fell silent, some members of the ninja council looked to the Hokage hopefully, hoping that he would be able to stop this farce. "I cannot stop Danzo from training Naruto Uzumaki," Sarutobi said, "however, I will impose certain conditions. Danzo will not place any seals or markings on young Naruto. He will also allow Naruto to roam freely around the village the first weekend of every month, so that he would be able to have a semblance of a childhood. Now, take him Danzo. Naruto Uzumaki is your responsibility now."

Danzo had a huge smile on his face as he took the young Jinchuuriki from Sarutobi's arms. He left the council chambers with noticeable glee,despite the conditions set by Sarutobi. The rest of the council soon followed, except for Hiashi and Sarutobi.

Sarutobi glared angrily at Hiashi. "How dare you. I thought you were Minato's best friend. I expected better from you," he spat. Hiashi looked at the ground bashfully. He mumbled, "It was for the good of Konoha." "The good of Konoha? What about Minato? What about the promise you made to take care of his son?" Sarutobi shouted angrily. "Son, what son?" Hiashi asked, confused. "The son you just sent away to become Danzo's weapon," Sarutobi exclaimed before stomping out of the room, leaving Hiashi alone. Hiashi Hyuga fell to his knees, cradling his head in his hands. "Kami sama, what have I done?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Root HQ

Danzo laid Naruto Uzumaki into a crib prepared by one of his ROOT agents. He frowned a little, remembering Sarutobi conditions, before smiling again. "It matters not. The conditions will not affect the Jinchuuriki's training. With the Kyuubi's power at my beck and call, Konaha will rise to be the strongest of the hidden villages."

**First chapter completed. A bit short for my liking, but its just the prologue. I will update this story within the next 2-3 weeks. Pls tell me what you think of this story, and follow/favourite if you're want to know when the next chapter is coming out. Bye!**


	2. Chapter 2: Growing Up

I do not own Naruto! Characters in this fanfic are purely fictional and any similarities with people in real life are purely coincidental.

Hey guys, thanks for the reviews and feedback that you have given me. Sorry for the delay, but I really didn't have the time to upload this chapter until now. I hope you like this chapter. Remember to leave me a review and tell me what you think of the story. Cheers!

**Chapter 2: Growing Up**

_11 years later_

_Border of Land of Frost and Land of Lighting_

Three dark figures leapt from tree to tree, as they gradually neared their target. Only the soft sounds of leaves rustling betrayed their position as they moved into position. Suddenly, one of the figures halted. Seeing one of their comrades stop, the others ground to halt a couple of trees ahead. _Three North. 100 metres. Low Chunin Level. Engage?_ The figure who stopped signed.

The taller of the figures ahead, presumably the leader, hesitated for a moment, before signing back. _Engage with stealth. All at once. _The other two quickly acknowledged before leaping forward towards their targets.

Without warning, they struck. The three figures jumped down into the clearing, slicing the Chunin's necks with their tantos. The Chunins' stood no chance, they were dead before their bodies hit the ground. As the three figures prepared to leap away, the moonlight shone into the clearing. The light reflected off the figures' faces, revealing white masks. The masks were sparsely decorated, showing only painted facial features. The only significant markings of their masks were the "ne" kanji at the top right of their masks. Despite this, anyone who saw them right now would know who they were –ROOT.

Leaving the three bodies behind, the ROOT agents leapt out of the clearing and continued tree hopping towards their destination. Soon, they were within sight of the outpost itself. They stopped at the edge of the tree line, observing the outpost, trying to discover weaknesses. The stone building was situated beside a large lake. The Kumo symbol was printed on a flag flying above it. A few Kumo shinobi could be seen standing outside the iron door leading into the outpost, guarding it. There were no glass windows, only tiny slits from which people in the outpost could look out.

The three ANBU analyzed the layout of the outpost, trying to find a way in. They had been briefed on the general layout of the outpost, but the spies where unable to find a way into the outpost. It was up to them to find a way into the outpost by themselves. Then, the lead ROOT agent made a decision. _Split up. Get in by yourselves. Rendezvous outside target room. 30 minutes. _The other two agents nodded in acknowledgement. Then, the lead ANBU and one agent leapt away, leaving the other behind.

The lone ANBU stood up, surveying the entire outpost, his trained mind processing the information as quickly as it was received. His eyes darted around as he tried to find a weakness. Then, he spotted it. Bubbles appearing on the surface of an otherwise calm lake. Bubbles which could only mean one thing – a sewer.

If he was a normal ANBU, he might have felt a twinge of repulsion at entering a sewer. However, he was ROOT, and ROOT did not have emotions. As he made his way into the lake, he was careful in avoiding sentries and guards who might spot him. After an agonizing 10 minutes, the ROOT agent reached the lake without attracting any attention. Taking a deep breath, he dived under the lake surface. Swimming against the current, he entered the sewer. Muddy and filthy water streamed past him, but they were hardly enough to deter him. The only thing on his mind right now was the mission.

_Flashback _

_7 years ago_

_A blonde haired boy sat alone on a tatami mat, a circle of light shining on him, surrounded by complete darkness. He sat still, unnatural for a 4 year-old child. Suddenly, a deep, gravelly voice spoke. "Who are you?"_

_The boy, showing no surprise, answered, "I am Fox."_

_The same gravelly voice spoke again. "Who are we?"_

_The boy, speaking yet again in a neutral voice, said, "We are ROOT." He spoke as if he had answered the same question hundreds, if not thousands of times. _

_The voice spoke yet again. "What is our purpose?"_

_The boy answered, "We are the unseen ones who support the great tree of Konoha form the depths of the earth. Our purpose is the mission, and the mission alone."_

_Then, a man stepped into the spotlight. His right eye was bandaged up, along with his right arm. He looked frail and old, yet his gait was that of an experienced shinobi. He observed the boy critically, before saying, "It is time to begin your physical training."_

_"Hai Danzo-sama," the boy said, bowing deeply. _

_Flashback end_

Just then, Fox noticed a light at the end of the passageway. He instinctively swam towards it, hoping it was an entrance to the base. Pushing open the grill blocking his way, he swam upwards. As he surfaced, the sudden brightness blinded him for a few seconds. When he finally recovered, he realized that he was in a passageway.

Looking around him, he quickly gathered his bearings. Pulsing his chakra, he quickly scanned the area, looking for any chakra signals. Nothing caught his attention. This area of the base was clear. However, Fox still had to be careful. His chakra sensing only had a range of 30 meters in an enclosed area.

Proceeding stealthily, he made his way to the target. He still had 15 minutes left before the rendezvous, so he proceeded slowly, pulsing his chakra periodically. The Mind Eye of the Kaguya was a useful skill on this mission.

10 minutes later, Fox was close to his target. Just one more corridor and he would be in the right place. Pulsing his chakra once again, he stopped. There were 2 Kumo ninja in the corridor between him and his target. Judging from their chakra levels, they were low Chunin level. They were coming in his direction. Fox stood at the edge of the corridor, waiting for the two ninjas to get closer. Then, sensing an opportunity, he leapt out of the corridor and slit both of their throats. The two Kumo nins had surprised looks on their faces as they slid onto the floor, their blood pooling around him. Fox felt no remorse in their deaths. After all, what was 2 Kumo ninjas, after he had killed his first and only friend.

_Flashback_

_5 years ago_

_Fox stood in the rocky training field, staring impassively at Shin. Shin stared back at him, waiting for the signal to start. This was to be one of their many spars, or so they thought._

_Danzo stood at the top of the overhang, watching the 2 ROOT shinobi. He was pleased with their progress, they both showed great promise. It was sad that one of them had to die. Then, he announced his orders, "I am ordering you to fight to the death!" He threw a ring of kunai around the two shinobi before leaping off. He did not need to stay to watch the fight, as he already knew the result. Shin was a good shinobi, but he was nothing compared to the power Fox had inside him. _

_After hearing Danzo's announcement, Fox hesitated. He knew that Danzo-sama's orders were to be followed without question, but he was unsure. "That's impossible, I can't fight with my own brother," Fox muttered. Hearing that, Shin hardened his expression. "Then … I will kill you." Leaping forward, Shin swiped at Fox with his Kunai. Fox, sensing the danger, leapt away. He saw an opening in Shin's stance, but he hesitated and the opportunity passed. Shin immediately turned around and attacked him yet again. Leaping upwards, Fox dodged the furious attacks with great agility. Still, he refused to fight back against his best friend. _

_Leaping into the woods, Fox was followed closely by Shin. He narrowly dodged another kunai, jumping onto yet another tree branch. Just then, he heard a cough coming from behind him. Fox widened his eyes, thinking: his disease, it's acting up again. Turning around, he was greeted with the sight of Shin lying on the forest floor, coughing out blood. Fox jumped next to him, shouting, "Brother!" Shin hunched over the floor and muttered weakly, "You are much to gentle to make it out alive." He held a kunai to Fox's neck, albeit shakily. Fox looked at Shin, stunned, unable to say anything. "But you are the one who will live," Shin said, as he slowly lowered the kunai, coughing blood yet again. "Now kill me, and kill your emotions. Otherwise, ROOT will destroy you," he said, holding out the kunai to Fox. Fox hesitated for a moment, before taking the kunai. Holding up his hand shakily, he hardened his facial features, and plunged the kunai into Shin's back. After watching Shin take his last breath, he leapt away. _

_Flashback end_

Fox continued on his way towards the target, leaving the 2 Kumo ninja lying in a pool of their own blood. They were of little consequence to the mission. As he reached his target, he pulsed his chakra once again. He sensed a ninja to his left. Fox recognized the chakra signature of that ninja. Acknowledging his leader, he quickly found another hiding place and went there, waiting for the last member of his team.

5 minutes later, the last member of their team finally arrived. After checking for any enemy ninja in the area, the three ROOT ninjas leapt in front on their target. The sign on the door read "Archives – Do not enter without permission". Too bad Root didn't get the memo. After picking the lock, the three ninja entered the secret archives. "Pathetic," Fox muttered to himself, "the secrets of Kumo are all hidden here, and it is protected by little more than a simple lock." Danzo-sama would never have done such a thing.

As the three ninja entered the archives, they systematically started copying and retrieving information. Using a copying seal and scroll created by Fox, the three ninja promptly copied the information they were after. After 15 minutes, the three ROOT ninjas sealed the scrolls containing the information, before leaving the archives.

Out in the corridor, the three ROOT ninja found themselves surrounded by a group of 10 Kumo ninjas. Fox cursed to himself, he should have remained alert and used his chakra sensing technique in the archives. They must have activated some seal when they lock-picked the door. He shouldn't have underestimated Kumo. Now they had to fight their way out. Danzo-sama would definitely not be pleased with this. Taking up fighting positions, the three ROOT ninja prepared themselves for combat.

The Kumo ninjas initiated the fighting first. One of them flew through hand signs. "**Raiton: Electromagnetic Murder**", he intoned before sending a wave of electricity at them. One of the ROOT agents hastily put up a **Doton: Mud Wall**, effectively shielding them from the attack. As he lowered the Mud wall after the attack, the ROOT ninja were greeted with the sight of the 5 Kumo nins charging at them, katana unsheathed. The other 5 Kumo ninja stayed at the back, throwing minor jutsus at the three ROOT shinobi. Normally, Chunin level ninjas wouldn't post a big threat to the ROOT agents, but they were outnumbered more than 3 to 1.

The ROOT ninja drew their tantos and charged into battle. Slashing and dodging, slicing and blocking, the three ninja fought bravely against their opponents. The only thing that kept them alive throughout the fight was Danzo's grueling regime. Using the instincts they picked up, they defeated the 10 Kumo ninjas, narrowly avoiding death. They did not come out unscathed though. Fox suffered a deep slash to his chest, while the other two suffered minor cuts.

However, the danger was far from over. Fox could still sense many ninjas coming in their direction. They had to get out of there quickly. Their leader quickly took charge. Pointing in the direction they came from, the leader signaled them to follow. Rushing forward, they completely disregarded stealth. The enemy was probably already tracking them, they had to get out as fast as possible.

However, as they turned the next corner, they were confronted by 50 Kumo ninja. Fox cursed to himself as he readied his weapons. It was unlikely that they would get out of this base alive against these numbers. Fox could hear the sounds of the Kumo ninja catching up behind them. Soon, the three ROOT ninja would be surrounded.

Then, the leader made a decision. "Fox, go now. You're the fastest among us. Take the scroll and leave," the leader said, speaking for the first time that mission, "we will delay them for as long as possible." Fox quickly nodded and left with the scroll. He would not dispute or mourn their sacrifice. There was no place for sentimentalities in ROOT. Teammates were expendable. The mission was to be accomplished at all costs.

Running through the corridor again, he could hear the faint sounds of battle behind him. The two ROOT agents were elite ROOT shinobi, but they could not hope to delay such an overwhelming number of Kumo nin for long. Fox had at most 1 minute before they fell. He would use it wisely. Fox zigzagged through the corridors, trying to find the sewer entrance where he entered. He had no idea how the others got in, so he only had one possible way out.

After wandering around for about 5 minutes, Fox finally found the entrance via which he came in. It was just in time, for he could hear Kumo nin catching up behind him. Jumping into the sewer, he pushed the grill close. Then, letting the current push him, Fox floated into the lake, the scroll safely sealed into his left arm, unharmed by the water. Swimming to the far end of the lake, Fox retreated into the forest. There, he could hide among the trees, licking his wounds, before returning. Hidden in the shade, he could see Kumo ninja swarming the outpost, searching the forest around him. He would wait, until the coast was clear, before disappearing like a shadow.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Hyuga Clan Head Office_

Hiashi Hyuga was the clan head of the proud Hyuga Clan. He was revered as one of the strongest clan head ever, reaching the Bingo books as a mid A-ranked ninja. He had fought in both the Second and Third Shinobi World Wars, gaining fame and repute for his skill in Jyuken, as well as his ability to see far distances with his eyes, further than any Hyuga before him.

Hiashi was not feeling very strong right now. He sat at his desk, surrounded by the never-ending pile of paperwork, the bane of Kages and Clan Heads all over the ninja world. However, Hiashi was not signing and filing the paperwork. Instead, he was staring at a picture on his desk, as he had many times over the past 11 years.

_Flashback_

_30 years ago_

_Hiashi sat at his desk, listening attentively to the instructor, ignoring the rest of the students around him. He was the Hyuga heir, and needed to present a strong image to the other students. Hiashi would be the top in class in everything. He wouldn't lose to the commoners around him._

_ As the instructor droned on and on about chakra theory, Hiashi was starting to feel a little bored. Yet he maintained his façade, sitting at attention, listening to every word the instructor said, dutifully jotting down notes. He could hear the students around him chattering among themselves, but he wouldn't stoop to their level. He would be the perfect Hyuga clan heir. _

_Then, Hiashi felt someone nudging him. Turning to his left, he noticed a blonde boy sitting next to him. Hiashi tried to ignore him. After all, a clan heir shouldn't be seen conversing with a commoner. Despite this, the boy next to him kept bothering him. _

_Finally, Hiashi had enough. "What do you want," he whispered to the blonde, careful not to let the instructor see him. The blonde boy smiled and said, "Hello. My name is Minato Namikaze. What's yours?" Hiashi muttered, "Hiashi Hyuga. Now stop bothering me." "Why are your eyes so weird, are you blind?" Minato continued, oblivious to Hiashi's growing annoyance. "It's my Kekkei Genkai, the Byakugan. I'm not blind," Hiashi growled menacingly. _

_As Minato continued asking him question, Hiashi grew more and more frustrated. Finally, he snapped. "Will you shut up!" he shouted. Just then, the classroom grew quite. The stoic Hiashi Hyuga had just shown emotion. Even the instructor stared in disbelief. Minato started laughing, "Yes! I did it! I'm gonna be the best ninja ever." Hiashi stared at the laughing boy. He had done that on purpose? "This boy is interesting," he muttered to himself. Minato turned towards Hiashi, held his hand out and asked, "Would you like to be friends?" _

_That was the beginning of a friendship that would last for 2 decades. _

_Flashback End_

Hiashi sighed as he remembered his old friend. Even when he was young, he had been very perceptive. Minato had seen past the façade of a stoic, Hyuga heir, seeing an insecure young boy, lost in the trouble Shinobi world.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. A soft voice spoke out, "Tou-san. I have finished the academy. I'm retiring to my bedroom now." Hiashi grunted an acknowledgement. Footsteps sounded away from the door, barely noticeable. Hiashi sighed yet again. There was another failure of his – his daughter Hinata. He had not been the best father to her or her sister. She pained him too much. Hinata was too much like her mother, both in appearance and behavior. She also reminded him of the promise that he had broken, something he would regret for the rest of his life.

_Flashback_

_12 years ago_

_Hiashi and Minato sat in the Hyuga compound, speaking to each other. Hiashi wore his traditional Hyuga kimono, while Minato was dressed in his signature cloak. Outside the window, they could see their respective wives talking animatedly to each other. Their swollen bellies were very noticeable, but did little to hide their beauty. _

_They had grown much since their academy days. Hiashi was tall, regal and confident, a classic example of a Hyuga clan head. Minato also grew a lot. His blonde hair was as spiky as ever, but it accentuated his handsome features. His blue eyes reflected that of an experience shinobi. Together, those two were almost unstoppable on the battlefield, earning glory and honor in the name of Konoha. Despite not being put on the same team, their friendship only grew. They ate at the same restaurants, _

_Hiashi had a smile on his face as he spoke to Minato. "How many months pregnant is Kushina? Hitomi is 4 months pregnant." Minato had a visible smirk on his face as he answered, "5 months." When Kushina had told him about her getting pregnant, he was so excited. He finally had someone to teach and raise. When he had taught Kakashi, he felt a sense of accomplishment watching him grow up to become excellent shinobi. Now, he had the chance to do the same with his son. _

_Hiashi too was excited about his child. He finally had a child who would succeed him as a clan head. He would teach his daughter all his techniques, and make sure that she would be the best clan head the Hyuga ever had, even better than him. Hiashi would also make sure that she would remain an only child. He did not want her to suffer what he felt when Hizashi was branded with the Caged Bird Seal. _

_Then, Minato said to Hiashi, "Hiashi, will you be my son's godfather. We have been friends for almost 20 years, and I can think of no better candidate than you. Jiraiya would be my second choice, but I don't want my son to end up a pervert." Hiashi immediately replied, "Of course, but only if you become my daughter's godfather." Minato immediately smiled, and agreed. "Maybe one day, those two will become best friends too. Maybe even more." Hiashi beamed, "Wouldn't that be nice - two of our children together. But that will be for them to decide."_

_Suddenly, Minato said, "Remember, if something were to happen to Kushina or me, please take care of him." Hiashi frowned, "Nothing will ever happen to you. You are the strongest ninja in the world, and Kushina isn't even on active duty anymore. What can happen?" Minato smiled, "You're right, nothing will happen. I guess I'm just being a little paranoid. I've been feeling a little uneasy lately." Laughing it off, both of them continued their previous conversation, unaware of the disaster that was to come in 4 months. _

_Flashback End_

Hiashi held his head in between his arms, his promise resounding in his mind. "I've failed you Minato," he muttered. Hiashi was a failure. He had failed so many people in life – Minato, Kushina, Hitomi, Hinata, and Hanabi. He had failed all of them so horribly. He was a horrible father and a horrible friend. It has been 11 years since he made that decision, and he has been regretting it ever since. But it was too late. He could only sit in his chair, watching helplessly as the events that took Minato replayed repeatedly in his mind.

_Flashback_

_11 years ago_

_Hiashi stood in the courtyard of the Hyuga compound, rallying the Hyugas around him. The faint roars could be heard in the background, as the Kyuubi continued ravaging the countryside around Konoha. The killer intent in the air was thick, and the red skies were ominous. In front of him were 50 Hyugas, ready to fight and die for their village and clan. _

_Just then, a yellow flash appeared in front of him. Minato Namikaze was standing in front of him, a serious expression on his face. "Hiashi, take your men and position them at the West gate. Follow Sandaime's order." Hiashi immediately acknowledged his orders and sent his men there. He was about to follow when Minato stopped him. Minato said, "Listen Hiashi, remember your promise. I might not make it out of this alive, and I have no idea if Kushina is dead or alive." Hiashi wanted to ask where his son was, but Minato had already disappeared in another yellow flash. Hiashi put the encounter at the back of his mind, and ran after the other Hyugas. _

_Flashback end_

He should have known. Blond hair, blue eyes, who else had these characteristics. Yet, Hiashi had let his anger and confusion cloud his judgment. He had lost 30 of the 50 Hyugas, as well as his sister-in-law. He was bitter and tired, and wasn't thinking straight at all. However, that was no excuse. He had condemned his best friend, his own godson, to a life of misery and pain. If he had the chance to go back in time, he would have undone his horrible decision and actions. But it was not to be. Now, he could only hope that Kami would give him a chance to fix his mistake.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Root Base – Danzo's office_

Danzo was an old man, far too old to replace Hiruzen Sarutobi when he retired. Once, he had dreamed of being Hokage, leading Konoha to become the strongest ninja village. Now, he could only guide Konoha from the shadows, issuing black-op missions in order to make Konoha as strong as possible.

He had just debried Fox, and he held in his hands the file extracted from the Kumo outpost. He was not upset that two of his operatives had died. No, they were expendable, easily replaced. Only two things mattered in this mission – the files were extracted successfully, and his jinchuriki got out alive. The files were now in his hands, and Fox was in his base alive. In his book, this mission would be marked as a success.

Looking through the files retrieved, one of them caught Danzo's attention. It was a retrieval mission briefing from the Raikage to one of the Kumo ANBU squads. His interest piqued, he read through the file. It called for the retrieval of the Hyuga Heiress – Hinata Hyuga. Danzo noticed the ANBU squad number. It was ANBU squad 5, one of Kumo's top ANBU squads. This was worrying, he would have to discuss this with Sarutobi immediately.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Root Base – Fox's room_

Fox sat on his bed, looking at the mirror. The fox mask stared back at him, looking menacing – a feature which was meant to scare enemy Genins and low-level Chunins. Fox slowly took the mask off – revealing blue eyes and a pale face, complete with 3 whisker marks on each cheek. His name was Naruto Uzumaki, even if no one but the Hokage called him that anymore.

Naruto changed out of his bloody clothes, into another set of the standard ROOT uniform. It was time for his monthly trip outside the ROOT headquarters, and it would not be good for him to be seen covered with blood. He had suffered enough abuse and accusations without it. Putting on his shoes, he walked out of his room and into the dark corridors of the ROOT base. Naruto walked towards one of the numerous exits, ignoring the other ROOT shinobi around him. He knew them of course, but there was no place for sentimentalities or etiquette in ROOT.

As Naruto walked out of the base, the sunlight shone on his face for the first time. He was 1 kilometre outside Konoha, one of the many hidden entrances into the ROOT base. Looking north, he could see the great walls of Konoha, walls which surrounded the village he had been trained to kill for. Naruto began leaping amongst the tree line, running towards Konoha.

As he entered the gates of Konoha, he was greeted with the bustling streets, full of civilians out on the weekend shopping trip. However, the second he entered the gates, the streets grew silent. The civilians stopped their haggling and started moving away from him. Naruto heard whispers spreading among them. Demon, Kyuubi, Nine-tails. He had heard all these names almost thousands of times. As usual, he ignored them.

When he was initiated into ROOT, the Hokage had convinced Danzo to allow him to leave the ROOT base once a month. Danzo had not been pleased, but he could not refuse a direct order from the Hokage. When Naruto had first went into Konoha, he had not been pleased that his training had to be halted. However, over the years, he started to look forward to those monthly trips. It was the only vice he allowed himself in his strict ROOT lifestyle.

Walking through the streets, he could see the crowd opening up in front of him. Civilians avoided him as much as possible, afraid of becoming tainted by the Kyuubi's chakra. The ninjas too were wary of him, because he was one of Danzo's men. He slowly made his way towards the park, were he spent most of his time in Konoha.

Sitting on one of the benches, he watched as the children played ninja. Naruto was curious. Why would children want to become a ninja? Why would they want to kill and murder people? It didn't make sense. He would have to ask Danzo-sama later. Looking to his left, Naruto could see a family having a picnic under a tree. He felt an aching in his heart, but he quickly quashed it. When he had been younger, he had often wondered how it would be like to have a family. But after Shin's death, there was no space for feelings in his life. Naruto sat alone in the bench, pondering and observing. Then, when the sun begun dipping below the horizon, he stood up, and walked toward the gates of Konoha. His time was up. Now, he would go back to the bloody world of a ROOT shinobi.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Hokage's Office_

The Hokage sat in his desk, staring murderously at the paperwork piled up. He knew that they were important to the running of the village, but he never understood why the Hokage had to do all of them. He would have given anything to get a break from the paperwork.

Just then, someone knocked on his door. Hiruzen's secretary walked in, followed closely by Danzo. Danzo sat stiffly in a chair, resting his bandaged arm onto the armrest. Hiruzen immediately sat up. Danzo never came into his office unless there was something important. "What brings you into my office today, Danzo?" Hiruzen said in a pleasant tone, even though he knew the news would be anything but pleasant. Danzo replied, "I have some serious news. Kumo is planning to kidnap the Hyuga heiress again. They have one of their top ANBU squads after her." Hiruzen slammed his table. "Damn those Kumo ninja. Wasn't Hizashi enough for them?" Danzo continued, "Also, my spies have heard rumors that Orochimaru is looking for the Sharingan. He is probably after the last Uchiha." Hiruzen immediately frowned upon hearing about his wayward student. He was always too power hungry for his own good.

Hiruzen did not like Danzo. Long ago, they had been best friends. But ever since Hiruzen took the Hokage title from Nidaime, their relationship had been strained, even more so when Danzo took Naruto into his ROOT program. Despite this, he knew that Danzo's spy network was second only to Jiraiya's. His information was rarely wrong. This was a serious problem, and had to be handled with care. Hiruzen thought carefully, and concocted a brilliant plan. A plan that would not only help safeguard the Sharingan and Byakugan, but also help Minato's son.

"Danzo. Hinata Hyuga and Sasuke Uchiha are graduating from the academy in a year's time. If we put them on the same team, with a strong sensei and a strong teammate, they will be safe from Kumo and Orochimaru." Danzo nodded. "Who would be their sensei and teammate?" Hiruzen smirked, before replying, "I will assign Kakashi Hatake as their sensei. As for their teammate, I would like one of your ROOT shinobi to be on the same team, in order to ensure their safety. I would request one particular operative in particular, Fox."

Danzo saw Hiruzen's motives a mile away. He could not disobey a direct order from the Hokage. After all, ROOT was still ultimately under the Hokage, even if Danzo ran the day to day operations. However, this provided an excellent opportunity for him. Danzo quickly agreed to the Hokage, before leaving the office. He would have to plan carefully.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Danzo's office_

Danzo at on his chair. Fox knelt in front of him, ready to carry out his orders. "Fox, you have been assigned a long term mission. It will take place inside Konoha. These are your mission objectives…" Fox nodded his understanding, before leaving to prepare for the mission. Danzo smiled. Soon, Konoha would become the strongest in the entire Ninja world.

**Finally finished this chapter. 5000 words, that's more like it. I'll update again in another 2 or 3 weeks. Maybe earlier if you guys liked it a lot. I'm not sure about the mission scene, please tell me what you think about it. Remember to follow/favourite if you're want to know when the next chapter is coming out. Bye!**


End file.
